My fiber disc trick cut fit-up time in half on the gulf job

Been using those cheap fiber discs for years. Tried a 36 grit flap wheel instead on some 1 inch plate near Corpus Christi. Fit-up went way faster, like 3 hours saved on one joint. Anyone else switch up their prep tools and see a big jump in speed?

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1 Comment

coleman.christopher2d agoMost Upvoted

Hold up before you toss those discs. That 3 hour savings might just be luck on one joint, not a real pattern. Flap wheels burn through quicker on thick plate if the steel has any hard spots, and when they load up you're stopping to clean them constantly, which eats your time right back. Plus those cheap discs are predictable, you know exactly how they're gonna act on every pass. I've seen guys chase the speed with flap wheels and end up redoing the bevel because the heat warped the edge. Sometimes slow and steady still wins when you're talking about weld prep on anything over 3/4 inch.

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